Worm-drive rear axle.



nf. B. WEAVER.) WORM DRIVE REYAR AXLE. APPLVIcYAnoNAmED Nqv. 12. 191i.

Parumd lime 4, 1918 3 SHEETSh-SHEET 2.

,R. B. vv'AvEH. WORM'DRIVE REAR AXLE. APPLICATION'FILED NOVfIQ, 1917.

Patented J une 4, l9l8 S SHEETS-SHEET 3.

www.

eric.

ROBERT B. WEAVER, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 THE I'IJIKE'-DETROIT AXLE COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CUBPORATION 0F DHIO.

Woerd-naivev REAR AXLE..r

Specification of Letters P'atent.

ratemea .rune a, rais.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT B. WiiAvnR, a citlzen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have linvented a new' and useful Improvement in VVorm-Drive-Rear Axles, of which the vollowing is a speciiication.

This invention relates to Worm drive rear axle constructions for motor vehicles and particularly to the mannerv of supporting the bearings for the 'Worm' shaft, Worm Wheel anddiii'ere'ntial.

One of the objects of. the invention is to provide an oil-tight housing made of pressed or cast steel, which Will completely inclose the Worm, Worm gear, the diier-v ential and their bearings. Anotherobj'ect is to provide ayhousing for the driving parts and their bearings, which Will be accessible for inspection, repair or adjustment of these parts Withoutremoving the-body' of the vehicle or the axle from under the car. Another object is to provide a carrier having receptacles for the bearings, which supporty the diderential, Worml gear and one bearing for the Worm shaft. Another object is to provide supports for the bearings, which support thedift'erenti'al and Worm geaigvvhich can be detachahly secured to the main bodyu of the carrier, thus permitting these parts to be machinedand nish'ed liefore being secured to the :nain body of the carrier.

The invention consists in a gear carrier arranged to rotatably support the inner ends of the driving axle and adapted to be secured -to the axle casingof a motor vehicle, said carrier having vbearing supports for the Worm gear and di'erential, which may be made. integral with the carrier or detachably secured thereto. The invention also consists in certain arrangements for supportingthe Worm shaft and its bearings. The invention further consists in the construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

, In the accompanying drawings, which form part of the specifica-tion Vand wherein like symbols refer rto like parts wherever they occur,

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of an axle embodying my invention, the right hand portion being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a Vertical cross-section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2. parts being broken away to disclose the' support for the bearings for the Worm Wheel anddiferential;

Fig. 4' is a section similar to Fig. 3 shoW,-. ing a modified form of support for the Worm Wheel and differential hearings.

Thedriving axle shown in Figs. l to 3 of the drawings ris mounted .for rotation in a substantially rectangular axle casing 5, the Wheels of' the vehicle not being shown. The axle casing 5 is enlarged at its middle, thus forming a chamber tor the Worm wheel and differential bearings. rThe driving shaft sections 6 are located in the axle c as-` ing 5 with their outer ends projecting through the ends v4oit the axle casing and carrying the road Wheels (not shown) of the vehicle. The driving shaft sections are rovided at their inner ends Ywith ribs or teeth i?, Whichslidalily engage corresponding grooves in the huhs yoit the two oppositely. disposed beveled side gears 8 oit the diiierential gear for .rotation thereby. The side gears 8 or" the differential are journaled in the spider 9, which carries the small heveled pinions l0 of the dinlerential gear. These pinions revolve on the outwardly projecting arms 1.1 of the spider il. The ends of the arms l1 ef the 9. upon which the -pinions l0 oit the differential revolve, are seated in the tliii'erential gear case 1Q. The' differential case is split perpendicularly to the axle aal completely 1ncloses all parts ci the (lider nfal gear.

The differential gear case driven from the propeller shaftl h v means ot a Worm 14 formed thereon., which meshes with a Worm gear l5 secured to the liiiercntial r gear case. The Worm gear l5 is 'positioned between the annular flanges forme en nach section of the differential gear ease and 1s held in position'by bolts, which also hold the two sections of the diderential together.. The worm shaft is journaled 1n tapered roller bearings 16 and 17 located at each end thereof. The bearing .16 aty the rearA endof the worm shaft is mounted in a journalrbox 18 formed in' the r'ear cap 19 and is held in place by a cap 20, which also closes the open end of, the preferably bolted to the rear cap. Y. The rear cap 19 closes the opening in the rear face of the axle housing to which it is secured bv bolts. The forward bearing 17 is mounted in a journal-box 21 formed in the gear v11.5 boltsto the liront face'of the axle housing carrier 22, which isremovably secured by and closes the opening formed therein. An adjusting sleeve 23 l1s open end ,of the the gear carrier i Located on the hub portions of the differential gear casing are bearings 27, which support the dili'erential and 'worm gear. These bearings are mounted in split'journal-boxes 28 formed integral with the gear carrier and are provided with removable caps 29, are held in place by studs 30. These studs are threaded into the journal-boxes and are ein y11; provided with nut-'shaped shouldered porltions 31 which bear against the caps, thus holding them in place. The studs project beyond the nut-shaped shouldered portions 31 into holes drilled in bosses 32 `formed in the rear cap 19.l The bosses 31 formed in lthe cap 19 support and stiften the projecting endsofthe studs.' This cap also contains thejournahbox 21 for supporting the rear end of the worm shaft. The journalboxes 28'which are integral with the gear carrier and support the .bearings for the 'worm gear anddifferenti\al, are properly braced by ribs. This, coupled with the support for the projecting ends of the studs formed bv the bosses, results in a rigid support for the differential and the worm gear and prevents distortion under load.

. Anywear that occurs in the bearings 27 located on the hub portion of the differential gear case can be taken up byadjusting therings 33, lwhich are threaded into the journal-boxes. 28 of the gear carrier 22 and 4journal box, and is threaded into the` journal-box 21 formed infor the forward bearing of' the worm shaft. This sleeve .engages the bearing cup 24 of thebearing 17 and can which engage the cups 34 of the bearings 27. The rings are locked in adjusted position by a detent 35, which is clamped between each of the1journal-boxes 28 and its ca 29 bythe studs 30 and is provided with a nger which v4engages one of a series of notches 36 formed 1n each of the rings.4

The axle housing 4is provided with tubular end sleeves which encircle the axle section and are carried in close to the differential gear. These sleeves pass through andI are supported at their inner ends" by' ,rigid reinforcing plates 38, which extend across the axle housing and have their flanged portions riveted to the top and bottom walls of the axle casing. .y vAtt. their outer ends, these sleeves carry the wheel bearings (not shown) and also prevent oil in the center of the axle casing from reachingthel brake linings. The

cas-ing, act as trusses and greatly strengthen the axle casing, resulting 1n a rigidsupport plates, which connect the walls of the axle for the carrier, which-contains the dillerential gearing and worm gear. An oil filling thim'ble 39 is screwed. into the rear cap 17 and permits the central portion of the axle casing to be filled' to the proper level with `oil, thus forming an oil bath for the worm gear, the worm and its bearings. A' removable 'stopper 40 is screwed into the under side of thel -axle housing for draining the oil when necessary.

The modied form of ljournal-box 41 shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings is shown in the form of a detachable piece and is attached. to the, main body of the gear carrier 22 by bolts 43. The journal-box cap is the same as is used in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3. The bolts 43 extend through bosses formed in the inner face of the gear carrier, thencethrough the journal-box and:

cap. Nuts 44 are threaded on the end por# tion of the bolts for securing the journal-box and cap in position and are` locked in position by lock washers. The bolts project be-l yond the nuts and are supported in holes drilled in bosses formed in the rear cap inv the same manner as the studs 30, shown in Figs. 1 to 3. n r The device described in the foregoingY specification is adapted to be used in conworm is located underneath the worm gear roo to give the desired body. clearance, but I do l,

not wish to be limited to the construction, as in commercial vehicles the .worm may be' located above-the worm gear, to ,glve a straight line drive. Some of the advantages of' the foregoing construction are, namely: a light rigidL structure made up 'of a combination fof parts,

which can be .easily 4,machinedg division of the device parts rendering its manufacture economleal; Athe removable cap 'whereby 115 i nection with pleasure vehiclesv where the 'insegna and gear repaired Without removing the 4 axle; and the proper bracingoit the journalboxes carried by the gear carrier, which support the differential and Worin gear bearings Joo-prevent distortion under load e The foregoing arrangement is considered onlyas an example and as being the-one best adapted to the construction shown, but the invention is not limited thereto, and the different-iai casingmay be rot-ated by beveled gearing or lin any desired manner.

l claim the following as, nay invention:

L A driving axle comprising an axle casing having an enlarged middle portion provided With alined openings, driving'axle ser1w tions arranged in said axle casing, a cap removably secured to one side ot' said axle casing and adapted to close one of said openings, a gear carrier removablyv secured to the other side of said axle casing and adapted to close the other of said openings, said gear carrier having tivo journal boxes project-ing into said casing in alineinent with the driving axle sections, a diderential gear ease journaled in said journal boxes, a worm drixiing gear secured to said gear case, a

'worm drive shaft meshing with said worm gear, bearings for said Worm shaft, one of said bearings being journaled 1n the gear Carrier and-the other of said bearings being journaled in the cap secured to the axle casing.

A, driving axle comprising an axle cas'- ing having alined openings at its middle, driving axle sections arranged in said'axle casing, cap secured to one side of said axle easing and adapted to close one oft said openings, a carrier secured to the opposite side or' said'axle casing and adapted to close the 4other of said. openings, a di'derential gear case removably supported in the axle casing, the gears in said gear case being operatively connected to the\ driving axle sections, a Worin. gear secured to said differential gear case, a- Worm drive shaft for driving said Worm gear, and bea-rings for said difierenm tial' gear case and v vorni drive shaft, the gear carrier having journal-boxes for supportingthe bearings for the diderential gear case and a journal-box for supporting one of the bearingsA for the Worm shaft, 'the other of said bearings for said shaft being jonrnaled in a journal box formed in the cap and. being adjustable' so as to take up the Wear in both of the Worin shaft bearings.

i driving axle comprising an axle casing having its middle portion enlarged and provided with openings 1n the 4:trent and rear walls thereof, a cap secured to said rear Wall for closing the opening therein, a gear ca rrier secured to the front Wall of said axle easing 'and adapted to close the opening therein., said gear carrier having` journall'loxes projecting through said last mentioned opening in longitudinal alinenient, a differential gear case having hub portions journaled in adjustable bearings in said journal boxes, removable caps for said journal-boxes, studs for securing said caps-in position, said studs having projecting portions, which are supported in bosses formed in the cap secured tothe rear of the axle casing. 4

l. Afdriving axle comprising a casing having its middle portion enlarged and provided/with alined openings in the front and rear wall thereof, axle sections arranged therein, a cap secured to the rear Wall for closing the opening formed therein, a gear carrier secured to the front Wall and adapted to close the opening in said Wall, journalboxes secured to said gear carrier in longitudinal alinement, a differential gear case having hubs journaled in combined radial andvtlirust bearings. in said journal-boxes, means for adjusting said bearings length- Wiseoi the axle, spaced annular flanges on said diiierential gear case, -a drirving gear adapted. to be positioned between said flanges, bolts for clamping the driving gear between the annular ianges on the differential gear case, a Worm drivel sha-tthaving its ends journaled in combined radial and thrust bearings, thejournal-box for one of said bearings being located in the cap secured to the rear of the axle casing and the journaLbox for the other of said bearings being located in the gear carrier, the last mentioned bearing being adjust-able lengtlr wise of the worm shaft to .take up Wear in both of said bearings.

5. A driving axle comprising an axle casing having an enlarged portion with openings in its front and yrear Wall, a cap se. cured to lsaid casing around the opening in its rear Wall, a gear carrier secured to the axle casing around the openingin its front Wall, journal-boxes secured to said gear carrier and extending. into said axle casing in longitudinal alinement, a diierential gear case having hubs journaled in said journalboxes, caps for said journal-boxes, means for securing the journal-'boxes and capsto the gear carrier, said means extending past the cap and being rigidly supported by the rear Cap of the axle casing, driving shafts ar ranged in the axle casing and extending into. the differential gear oase for engagement with the gears therein, sleeves sur'- rounding the-axle section and arranged on each side of the journal-boxes for the differential 'gear ease, plates for supporting the inner ends of said sleeves, said plates being' secured.to the top and bottomwalls of the axle casing to reinforce said axle casinv'.

6. A driving axle comprising an axle casing having .an enlarged middle portion with carrier having journal- 10 rear of theiaxle casing, a differential casej arranged between said A]our nal boxesv and tions. arranval 'in said axle leasing; areal' cap for closing the opening in thereanvvalll ofthe axle casing, a gear carrier seeu'redjto the -front wall of the axle casing and adapt ed to close the openinstherein," said 'gear oxes projecting' into said axle casing, means for supporting the journal-boxes from the cap Vsecured tothe having habe journaiedthriian oiilfimngj thlmble lcated Vin the cap-secured to the rear of the axley casing, -the level 'ofthe oil ortion of the axle casing 15. lbein@r controlledl y the height of the filling thinilile, and a stopper threaded into the bottom of the axle casing, whereby the oil in the enlarged may be drained.

' Si ned at Detroit, Michigan, this 3rd day of ove'xnber, 1917. A

" ROBERT WEAVER. 

